District 3: Tim Alpers

I am the third generation of a pioneer ranching family which has enjoyed the blessings of calling the Eastern Sierra our home, one of the most beautiful and unique regions on Earth. I am honored to serve the people of District 3 which includes the Mono Basin, the June Lake Loop and the western portion of Mammoth Lakes. District 3 represents the gateway to Yosemite National Park.

My family always believed in sustainable land and resource management practices and was able to build a successful business that catered to the vibrant local tourist industry. All citizens of Mono County are faced with a similar balancing act: the responsibility to protect and enhance our exquisite environment while at the same time providing appealing amenities that draw the tourists who create 80% of the revenue generated in this county. To accomplish this goal, which at times pits our business interests against our environmental responsibilities, we need a local government that acts in partnership with a strong and successful small business community. We need supervisors who are supportive and responsive, while still taking care to protect the very resources that make all of us successful.

We are a hard working community. It is against this backdrop that I have committed to improving the human environment in Mono County. This is where effective communication between county departments and the citizenry can alleviate the suffering of some and improve the lives of all. We require a county communication standard based on transparency and a helpful attitude; where the citizens are considered customers of the county, just as we must treat the tourists who make it possible to live here. In this way, I want to bring county government back to the people. To make this change, I intend once again to hold recurring town hall meetings throughout the district. I will also strengthen the Board sub-committees and RPACs. This initiative, in conjunction with town hall meetings, will establish effective communication as a priority.

In our current economic climate, constituents have high expectations for local government. With your help, I intend to review the efficacy of County government. Discretionary spending should be carefully prioritized to insure that we get the “best bang for our buck”. The key to being an effective supervisor is to know “how the Money flows”. My past experience on this Board combined with 32 years of running fiscally responsible businesses will assure my ability to act as a guardian of the public interest. The process I will utilize is the following. First, I will evaluate every issue that comes before me using 3 criteria: what my constituents want, what the law says we can do, and what the tenets of my personal philosophy tell me. Second, ALL environmental decisions I render will be based on the best science available, not science by consensus. And third, I will be available to listen to ALL of the constituents of District 3.

Over the years, I have been asked many times why I did not make politics my lifetime career after previously serving 3 terms on the MCBOS. The answer is simple. I don’t believe career politicians can understand the needs of their constituents without a deep experience in the private sector. Our forefathers understood this and envisioned a government “by the people”, the very people who could come from and return to private life. After 15 years of working my own business exclusively, I am pleased to return to public life and bring that perspective back to the board. Non-partisan local government is where great things can be accomplished for the people.

Worked with agencies, elected officials, off-road groups, wilderness advocates and national organizations to preserve over 40,000 acres of pristine headwaters in the West Walker River and Owens River watersheds. These lands have received permanent protection as additions to the Hoover Wilderness and the newly created Upper Owens River Wilderness. As part of this effort, over 7,000 acres of Forest lands were made available for off-road recreation. 1985 – 2009